Answers

Q:

I wish someone had warned me about how dangerous our words can be. My mother and I had harsh words over something she did about six months ago, and we haven't spoken since. She's stubborn and I know she'll never apologize, but I still wish I'd just held my tongue.

A:

Yes, words can be dangerous – so dangerous that they can change the whole direction of our lives. No wonder the Bible compares our tongue to a spark that sets a whole forest ablaze. An evil tongue, the Bible says, “corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:6).

But the Bible also points out that words can be instruments of healing and peace. The Bible says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (Proverbs 12:18). Words have the power to change both our lives and the lives of others – if we’ll let them. One reason why the Bible is so important is because God’s words will change our lives.

The question you face is this: Will you let this situation go on indefinitely – or will you take steps to overcome it? In other words, will you let your tongue become an instrument of peace and healing, by seeking to overcome your mother’s hurts with words of kindness and love?

Begin by committing your tongue – and your whole life – to Jesus Christ. Then ask Him to help you reach out to your mother – not rehashing the past, but looking to the future. The Bible says, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).